In any other year, we’d be just days away from The Oscars. But with this year’s ceremony moved to April due to you-know-what we haven’t even got the nominations yet. We’re one step closer now though, as The Academy has revealed their shortlists for a number of categories. Including (relevant to our interests) that for Best Animated Short.

The list has been whittled down from 96 films that qualified this year. It’s from these 10 shorts that the nominees will be announced. Two shorts from Pixar have made the list, both from the SparkShorts program. Netflix has also managed to make waves in the category for the first time. The shortlisted If Anything Happens I Love You is one of three shorts that the streamer was pushing for the category. DreamWorks Animation are on the list for their short To Gerard.

Kapaemahu rooted in Pacific Islander and Polynesian mythology is a US production but a non English-language film. It will hope to add an Oscar nomination to its already impressive list of nominations and festival selections.

The UK’s Magic Light Pictures are in the running for their third nomination with the 30-minute TV special The Snail And The Whale. The other international shorts that made it this far are Traces and Genius Loci from France and Yes-People from Iceland. 

In other categories, Pixar’s Soul has made the shortlist for Best Original Score and Visual Effects. No animated films among the Best Original Song shortlist is a bit of a surprise though. Over The Moon seemed likely to be in with a decent shot.

The nominations will be announced on Monday, March 15 and the 93rd Academy Awards will take place Sunday, April 25.

Kapaemahu (Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson, US) Inspired by the mythology and history of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Islands, this gorgeous film is narrated entirely in native Hawaiian language Olelo Niihau.

See all the Shortlisted films HERE.